Flotation separator and extractor



Nov. 21, 1950 L. B. BERG ErAL $2,530,676

FLoTA'rIoN sEPARAToR AND ExTRAcToR Filed march 12. 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .I e IlA A p IIN T0125 mi@ N0".- 21, 1950 l. B. BERG Erm. A2,530,676

FLOTATION SEPARATOR AND EXTRACTOR Filed March 12, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. '1.

Fig. 9 is aV plan view in the interiorv ofthe ex-f tracting chamber as seen fromrthe lines-9.1,;

Patented Nov. 21, 1950 lFLOTATION SEPARATOR AND EXTRACTOR Louis B. Berg and John E. Martin, Stan Antonio,

Tex., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Robert Wilson Carter, Luling, Tex.

Application March 12, 1947, Serial No. 734,130

Our invention ,relates to a machine for the*` separation, by flotation, of materials having dif` ferent specic gravities and the extraction. of

liquids from the materials after separation.

An object of the invention is the provision of. ay machine which is continuous in operation thereby assuring .maximum production.

4 Claims. (Cl. 209-173) practically any material having particles of different speciiic gravities may be separated by this y method by using a floating medium with a specific gravity intermediate the specific gravities of-the particles composing the material. Furthermore, while the machine herein illustrated is shown with an extractor at its left hand end only,

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine in which the material is thoroughly wet'by the oating agent to eliminate the adherence of air bubbles to the material particles. in order to attain a separation of the particles in accordance with their true specific gravity.

` A further object is the provision of means for extracting the adhering flotation liquid from theseparated particles after separation. This is of particular importance in cases where the ad" herence of notation liquid causes deterioration of the product.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the .course of the ensuing description.

These objects arev accomplished as `described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which` like numerals of reference refer to like parts throughout thev different views of the drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical'- sectional view of the extractor spindle mounting taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the mal-fchine'as seen from the left hand end of Fig; 2. Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the machine as seen from theright handend of Fig. 2. l

rwill now be described.

` for extraction of liquid from the lighter portions l of material passing through the machine, an extractor similar to the one shown might easily be placed at the right hand end of the machine for removal of liquid from the heavier particles of material passing through the machine. With the foregoing alternativeuses and structures inv mind the construction and use of the machine Referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that a frame. generally denoted by the numeral v2|), serves as the supporting means for a hopper 2|, a vat22. an extractor chamber 23, the motors 24 and25.

and a worm gear housing 26.

In order to facilitate the lfollowing description the left hand end of the machine as seen in Fig. 2 will hereinafter be called the front or forward end while the righthend endef'the ma- 1 chine will be called the back or rear end of the machine. l

Thevat 22 converges from the front, sides and e rear 'to an opening at its lower end to form a discharge opening 21 which communicates with the tubular member 28 attached to the rear under side of the vat 22. The tubular member 28 acts as avcasing for the conveyor screw 29 and is Y provided at its upper end with adischarge spout Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical vsectional' view. somewhat similar to that in Fig. 2, illustrating? the left hand end of the machine as seen in Fig. 7 is a side elevational view Vof the extracting cylinder, removed from the machine.v

Fig. 8 is a bottomelev'ational 'viewof the ex'` c @amount of material discharged from'the hopper 2| rwhile the engagementof thehandle 35with theserratedstrip 36 serves to-hold the brush 33' in v'position during operation.' It will be tracting cylinder as seen fromthe line` 8-48,

Fig`.6` vr For the purpose of explanation the machine,

in the separation of small pieces of pecan meat the 'floating medium. However, it isobvious that in this description, will be described as used` The hopper 2| has vertical sides while the front and rear converge to a discharge opening 3| this opening being partially'closedby the feed roller `32 and the brush 33. The brush 33 is mounted on a shaft34 which is supportedat each end by i suitable bearings (not shown) andv is bent at one end to form a handle 35 engageable with an arcuate serrated strip as. The shaft 34 thus forms means `for adjusting` the brush 231i, with relationjto the feed roller 32v rfor regulatingthe noticed that the dischargeopening 3|, the roller distribution of material over the entire width v of the vat 22.

The upper limit of the front wall of the vai'. 22

is located substantially below the tops of the side and rear walls of the vat to form discharge means for the flotation medium and the lighter particles of material carried therein and has an outwardly projecting lip 31 communicating with a discharge chute 38 pivoted on the shaft 39. The discharge chute 38 is normally held in the position indicated by full lines (Fig. 2) by means of the latch 40 for discharge into the perforated extractor cylinder 4 I Mounted on the frame 20 above the discharge opening of the vat 22 is a rotatable shaft 42 provided with a screening element 43 and a counter-weightv 44. The screening element 43 and the counter-weight 44 normally occupy the positions shown by the full lines of Fig. 2 for allowing passage of the flotation medium and the particles carried therein into the discharge chute 38.

The extractor chamber 23, supported by the frame 29, has a solid bottom provided at one side with an opening 45 communicating with a discharge trough46. Also in communication with the discharge trough 46 is a vertical conduit 41 which extends to the top of the extractor chamber 23. The extractor spindle 48 rotatably mounted in a flanged cartridge bearing 49 which is supported from the bottom of the extractor chamber 23 is driven by means of the drive sheave 50 and the belt from the motor 25. Ball bearings 52 are preferably used in the cartridge 49 in order to reduce friction and prolong the life of the bearing. The spindle 48, the sheave 50, the bearings 52 and the spacer 53 are all Secured to the cartridge 49 by means of the nut 54 on the threaded lower end of the spindle 48. The cartridge bearing 49 is secured to a reinforced portion 55 of the extractor chamber bottom by means of suitable bolts 56 passing through the flange of the cartridge bearing. Interposed between the flange of the cartridge bearing 49 and the reinforced portion 55 of the extractor bottom is a ring 51 composed of rubber, or other resilient material, while interposed between the flange of the cartridge 49 and the heads of the bolts 56 is a second ring 59 of the same material. This method of mounting the cartridge bearing to the bottom of the extractor chamber provides a resilient mounting for the extractor spindle and is eifective in eliminating vibration during operation of the extractor. The end of the spindle 48 which projects upwardly into the extractor chamber is provided at its upper end with a polygonal end portion 59 while the hub 60 of the extractor cylinder 4| is provided at the upper end of its cylindrical bore with a polygonal hole 6| engageable with the end 59 of the spindle as a driving means for the extractor cylinder 4|. A suitable handle 62 furnishes a convenient means for removing the extractor cylinder from the extractor chamber. In operation it iscustomary to let the extractor remain idle until the cylinder 4| has filled to the desired level when the motor 25 is started for the extracting operation. Since the actual extraction of liquid from the material requires but a very limited time it is of advantage to stop the rotation of the cylinder 4| as soon as possible after the motor is shut off. For this purpose an upwardly extending portion 63 from the driving sheave 50 functions as a brake drum. A brake 64 pivoted on the pin 65 and actuated by the foot pedal 66 through the link 61 constitutes the means of applying the braking force to the drum 63. A flinger ring '68 attached to the bottom of the cylinder 4| and an upwardly projecting cylindrical ring 69 from the bottom of the extractor chamber 23 serve as a means for excluding the extracted liquid from the cartridge bearing 49, the flinger ring 68 rotating with the cylinder 4| and the upwardly projecting cylindrical ring 69 being stationary in the bottom of the extractor chamber 23.

In Fig. 2 it will be noted that a series of transverse pipes 10 are provided at the top of the vat 22. Each of these pipes is provided with a row of perforations along the under side and are connected to a common supply line 1| with individual valves 12 interposed between the pipes 10 and the supply line 1|. These pipes are rotatable in the valves 12 in order that the direction of the jets of liquid issuing from the perforations may be varied with relation to the surface of the floating medium in the vat 22. This angular adjustment of the jets with relation to the surface of the liquid in the vat 22 serves as a means for governing the time required for travel of the material from the inlet end of the vat to the discharge end. The individual valves on the pipes 10 constitute a means for regulating the velocity of the jets from each pipe independently of the others. The combination of individual angular and velocity adjustments for the various jets assures proper submergence, wetting and feeding of the material in the vat.

In practice it has been found that there is a tendency for the lower end of the conveyor screw shaft 13 to stick in its bearing owing to the entry of particles of the settling material between the shaft and its bearing. To obviate this condition a conduit 14 is attached to the end of the supply line 1| and connected to the lower end of the bearing supporting the conveyor screw shaft. This effects a liquid circulation inwardly around the shaft and prevents entrance of foreign materials into the bearing.

The conveyor screw 29 is driven from the motor 24 which is connected by the belt 15 to the input shaft 0f a speed reducer 26, in this instance a Worm and worm gear unit. The output shaft of the speed reducer 26 is provided with a sprocket 16 which drives the sprocket 11 secured to the upper end of the conveyor screw shaft 13 through the medium of a chain 18. The motor 24 also constitutes the driving element for the feed roller 32 through a combination of belt and sheave speed reductions. In the present machine a. small driving sheave on the motor shaft is connected by means of a belt to a large driven sheave on a stub shaft projecting from the frame 29. Attached to the large driven sheave, and rotatable therewith, is a second small driving sheave this second driving sheave being connected by a belt to a large driven sheave on the outer end of the roller shaft. The proper combination of driving and driven sheaves will suffice to give the correct rotative speed to the feed roller 32.

In the present application, where water is used as the floating medium, the supply line 1| is merely connnected into the Water supply and the water leaving the machine is discharged from the trough into any desired drainage system. However, when processing materials which require a floating liquid other than Water and it is desired to conserve the floating liquid a pump may be interposed between the outlet 0f the discharge trough 46 and the supply line 1|. Thus, the iioating leaving the discharge trough 46 is picked up by the pump and recirculated through the system.

Having thus described the construction of the machine, its operation will now be explained. rIhe hopper 2| is iirst filled with the aggregate to be separated after which the valves 12 are opened in order to lill the vat 22 to'lts discharging level. After the hopper 2| and the vat 22 are filled the motor 24 is started whereupon the aggregate will be deposited from the hopper into the inlet end of the vat 22.

lation to the feed roller I2 for governing the rate at which the material is to be admitted to the vat 22. Also.' it will be necessary at this stage to adjust the velocities and angles of the iets issuing from the differentl pipes in order to insure the proper wetting, submergence and feeding rate oi the aggregate through the vat. As stated before, the separating and extracting process will now be described as applied in the process'of separating pecan meats from an aggregate of meats and loose shell and the extraction of water from the separated meats. The pecan meats being lighter than the water in the vat will tend to float while the shell fragments having a' higher specific gravity than the water in the vat will, ordinarily, tend to sink to the bottom of the vat. However, it has been found in practice, that small air bubbles adhering to the shell fragments and in the interstces thereof will, for all practicable purposes, effect a reduction in the specific gravity of the mass suillcient to render the mass floatable. It is imperative that these` air pockets be removed from the shell fragments otherwise the process At this point it will be necessary to adjust the brush 33 with re- 6 duit I1. The chute 38 which has been discharging into the cylinder Il will now be discharging oi' separating the meats from the shell fragments by flotation will be defeated.

After the brush and jet adjustments described above have been made the aggregate entering the vat onv its inlet end will drift toward the nearest row of jets and upon encountering the forceof the Jets the entire mass will be submerged and simultaneously agitated in such manner that all air adhering to the particles composing the mass will bedislodged. After passing the first row of jetsY the meats will tend to rise to the surface again and some `of the smaller shell fragments may be carried upwardly with the rising meats. Subsequent rows of jets repeat the submerging and agitating action above described until by the time the meats on the surface of the water reach the discharge end of the vat they have been separated from all shell fragments and the shell fragments are descending through the water to the bottom of the vat.

Themeats which reach the discharge end of the vat on the surface of the water are discharged irlto the chute 38 which in turn discharges into the cylinder 4| of the extractor. The shells descending through the water finally pass through the opening 2`|v and enter .the tube 28 where they` are picked up by the conveyor 'screw 29, carried upwardly through the tube 28 and idischargedfrom the spout 30 into any suitable coninto the conduit 41, however, since the meats are obstructed from entering the chute 38 only water will be discharged into the conduit 4l. The motor 25 is now started to extract the water from the meats in the cylinder 4i andf when extraction is complete the brake is applied to stop rotation of the cylinder. Thev cylinder Il is now lifted from the spindle 48 by means of the handle 62 and the contents poured into a suitable receptacle or container. After the cylinder 4| has been emptied it is again placed on the spindle 48, the chute 38 is raised to its normal operating position, the latch 40 is engaged with the edge of the conduit 41 and the counterweight M is returned to its original position whereupon the cycle of operations is repeated.

It is to be understood that while the invention is described herein as a means of separating the meats of pecans from an aggregate containing meats and shell that the invention is not limited to this use only. It is clear that the invention may be employed in the separation of any aggregate in which one of the components' of the aggregate is fioatable in a liquid.

Furthermore, the liquid employed need not necessarily be water, the requirements of the liquid being that it have a specific gravity intermediate the specific gravities of the heavy and the light components of the aggregate.

Having thus described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. yA flotation separating machine comprising a vat containing a body of liquid, a plurality of pipes arranged transversely of said vat above Athe surface of the liquid contained therein, rsaid pipes being provided lwith perforations formed through the walls thereof at the bottoms of said pipes lthrough which liquid passing through said pipes is discharged against the surface 'of the means for discharging from saidvat portions of separated material of heavier specific gravity which sink to the bottom of said vat, said movably supported discharge member being adjustable to one position where liquid and separated material are discharged from said vat and to another position where only liquid is discharged from said vat, and means for obstructing discharge of separated material from said vat when said movably supported discharge member is in the last-mentioned position.

-2.'A flotation separating machine comprising a vatlcontaining a body of liquid,: a plurality of pipes arranged transversely of said vatabove the f rsuriace'of the liquid contained therein, said pipes being provided with perforations formed through the walls thereof at the bottoms of said pipes through which'liquid passing through said pipes isv discharged against the surface of. the liquid water level in the vat. The latch l0 is now'disf engagedirol'nl the edge ofthe conduit 41 and the chute '38 is allowed to swing downwardly until its, end rests against the edge'of the coriin said vat in the form of a plurality of jets of liquid, means for vdelivering to said vat aggregate .supported discharge member for discharging from said vat portions of separated material of lighter specific gravity which floats at the surface of the body of liquid in said vat, means for discharging from said vat portions of separated material of heavier specic gravity which sink to the bottom of said vat, said movably supported discharge member being adjustable to one position where liquid and separated material are discharged from said vat, and to another position where only liquid is discharged from said vat, rand adjustable means for obstructing discharge of separated material from said vat when said movably supported discharge member is in the lastmentioned position.

3. A flotation separating machine comprising a vat containing a body of liquid, a plurality of pipes arranged transversely of said vat above the surface of the liquid contained therein, said pipes being provided with perforations formed through the walls vthereof at the bottoms of said pipes through which liquid passing through said pipes is discharged against the surface of the liquid in said vat in the form of a plurality of jets of liquid, means for delivering to said vat aggregate material to be separated into its portions of lighter and heavier specific gravity, a movably supported discharge member for discharging from said vat portions of separated material of lighter specific gravity which floats at the surface of the body of liquid in said vat, means for discharging from said va't portions of separated material of heavier specic gravity which sink to the bottom of said vat, said movably supported discharge member being adjustable to one position where liquid and separated material are discharged from said vat and to another position where only liquid is discharged from said vat, and adjustable means for obstructing discharge of separated material from said vat when said movably supported discharge member is in the last-mentioned position, said obstructing means comprising a member which is pervious to Water but is impervious to separated material. v

4. A flotation separating machine comprising a vat containing a body of liquid, a plurality of pipes arranged transversely of said vat above the surface of the liquid contained therein, said pipes being provided with perforations formed through the walls thereof at the bottom of said pipes through which liquid passing through said pipes is discharged against the surface of the liquid in said vat in the form of a plurality of jets of liquid, means for delivering to said vat raggregate material to be separated into its portions of lighter and heavier specific gravity, a movably supported discharge member for discharging from said vat portions of separated material of lighter specific gravity which iloats at the surface of the body of liquid in said vat, means for discharging from said vat portions of separated material of heavier specific gravity which sink to the bottom of said vat, said movably supported discharge member being adjustable to one position where liquid and separated material are discharged from said vat and to another position where only liquid is discharged from said vat, and adjustable means for obstructing discharge of separated materials from said vat when said movably supported discharge member is in the last-mentioned position, said obstructing means comprising a member formed of mesh material which is pervious to water but is impervious to separated material.

LOUIS B. BERG. JOHN E. MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 16,981 Warren May 29, 1928 459,636 Lanaux Sept. 15, 1891 505,416 lBell Sept. 19, 1893 824,141 Powers June 26, 1906 1,286,554 Dekker Dec. 3, 1918 1,681,627 Sawyer Aug. 21, 1928 1,710,568 Carl Apr. 23, 1929 1,757,103 Voigt May 6, 1930 

